Breaking free

Mikaela Albu

Year2026

MediumOther

Custom Mediumpen on paper and coffee

Dimensions 42 × 29 cm

"Breaking Free" is a two-panel ink artwork that contrasts the human world with the kingdom of animals. The first drawing represents the real world, or human world: crowded, chaotic, and filled with dense symbols, figures, and movement. In this space, the animals :a frog, a bird, and a dog appear small, almost hidden inside the complexity of human life.
The second drawing shifts into the animal kingdom, where the animals become larger, stronger, and more visible. A zebra-bird dominates the composition, joined by other animal forms, creating a world where animals are no longer secondary or overlooked. The zebra-bird includes a pop of yellow, making it stand out from the black-and-white patterns around it. This color breaks the normal form of the drawing, suggesting freedom, transformation, and the animal’s refusal to remain contained by the human world.